Each year during the Five Star Conference, the Women in Housing Leadership Awards spotlight the vision, resilience, and innovation of women making a lasting impact across the mortgage and housing industries. These leaders exemplify excellence in their professions while championing collaboration, mentorship, and inclusion throughout the industry. The 2025 honorees represent a cross-section of housing finance, from servicing and compliance to government and community leadership. In the following conversations, this year’s recipients share the lessons that shaped their careers, the mentors who guided them, and the wisdom they hope to pass along to women following in their footsteps.
Rising Star Executive Award
Erin Kinkin, VP of Transaction Management, Lakeview Loan Servicing
What are your proudest career achievements thus far?
It’s always hard for me to identify my achievements because I genuinely feel like I am doing what I love and what I am supposed to do. But if I think about what matters most in the contributions I make, I always come back to the people I get to work with. I’m very much a people person. I get so much joy serving my team and building relationships with the partners we collaborate with every day. The industry itself is complex, and the outcomes are important, but it’s the human side that truly drives me and has in every role I have occupied over the years. I’m extremely proud of what our team achieves together. Our team at Lakeview manages large MSR transactions, and it’s not easy, but that’s what makes it so rewarding. We know what’s at stake, and we care deeply about getting it right. But because of the trust and commitment we share, and the friendships built, nothing is impossible.
Are there any women who have served as career mentors for you, and what did you learn from them?
Absolutely. I’ve been fortunate to have countless mentors throughout my career, some formal, many informal. I truly believe mentorship is everywhere if you pay attention, remain open to learning, and listen. There are several outstanding women who continue to inspire me. First is my aunt, Darlene DiMarco. Darlene first introduced me to the industry. She is a fearless leader with determination, kindness, and an incredible work ethic. Nancy Irurzun, a precious friend and former colleague, encouraged me to pivot from originations into loss mitigation and servicing in 2009, a move that changed the trajectory of my career. Nancy is a constant source of valuable advice. Etienne Jouard, my current manager, leads with quiet confidence and strong moral character, setting an example I strive to follow. And Sara Niemann-Davis has been a constant source of support, offering wisdom, solidarity, and a safe space to think out loud.
Each of these women has inspired, guided, and shaped me in countless invaluable ways. They are examples of resilience, leadership, and the power of showing up for others. Their influence continues to guide me, and I’m deeply grateful for their friendships.
What is the most critical piece of advice you would give to women beginning their careers in this industry?
Start where you are. Don’t wait until you feel completely ready, qualified, or certain before acting. Do the job in front of you and do it to the best of your ability. Remember that everyone’s role matters. What counts is doing the work well and taking pride in your contributions.
Always ask questions. This changed my career. For years, I held back, worried that asking might reveal what I didn’t know. But when I began to speak up, it opened the door for others to do the same. The result was better conversations, earlier identification of potential issues, and stronger collaboration across teams. This also means creating a safe environment for your team to ask questions and share ideas.
Find opportunities to teach others. The best way to deepen your own understanding is to share what you know. Teaching reinforces your knowledge and builds connection and trust. Here is where you find growth individually and as a team.
These three principles have guided me throughout my career. Our industry is ever-changing. It’s dynamic, fast-paced, and full of opportunity. You don’t have to know everything to belong here. What matters most is your willingness to learn, build relationships, and a commitment to showing up with integrity. The rest comes with time, experience, and the support of those around you.
Mortgage Visionary Award
Shayna Arrington, Chief Risk Officer, Servbank
What are your proudest career achievements thus far?
Over the past few years, I’ve played a critical role in the private acquisition of a bank, transitioned a non-bank IMB servicing division into a depository, worked through three legal name changes, and helped secure approval to convert a state-chartered bank into a national association. I’m proud of the evolution of what is now Servbank, N.A., and what we are building to be in the future. I’m also proud of the women’s leadership forum I founded at my previous institution and carried over to the bank I’m at now. This has been a bright spot in my career journey where I’ve benefited from professional development among my peers and helped to turn friction into friendships over time.
Are there any women who have served as career mentors for you, and what did you learn from them?
Yes, absolutely. There are so many fabulous female leaders in this industry who constantly inspire me to level up. Some of those women I know personally, and many I don’t but admire from afar. Personally, I want to shout out Joy Hadley, previously an executive at HUD and now a Servbank Board Member. Joy was my first boss at my first job out of law school, and she showed me what a smart, powerful female leader could look like, pushed me to think harder and bigger, and demonstrated how to challenge others in a respectful way. I also want to shout out Nanci Weissgold, Partner at Alson & Bird. Nanci and I met through the MBA, and she quickly became a friend, a cheerleader, a sounding board, and a confidant. It has been critically important to me to foster genuine friendships with women I look up to and respect, like Joy and Nanci. These women help create a sense of community where we can all learn from each other and build each other up as we grow.
What is the most critical piece of advice you would give to women beginning their careers in this industry?
Create genuine connections. Push outside your comfort zone, meet and befriend others in the industry, and nurture those relationships over time. We are all stronger when we work together to lift each other up.
Public Sector Champion Award
Cristi Richey, VP Business Account Management, Solutions, Fannie Mae
What are your proudest career achievements thus far?
I’m incredibly proud to have worked alongside colleagues at Fannie Mae and amazing industry partners to solve complex challenges such as: 1) creating mortgage servicing standards and effective loss mitigation solutions during crises like the Great Recession, global pandemic, and natural disasters; 2) promoting fair servicing practices to ensure all borrowers understand their options; and 3) transforming the industry through the deployment of GenAI capabilities—an “in-flight” transformation I’m deeply passionate about. These efforts reflect a commitment to innovation and resilience in housing finance, and I’m honored to have contributed to meaningful change across the mortgage servicing landscape.
Are there any women who have served as career mentors for you, and what did you learn from them?
I have been fortunate to have mentors (both men and women) who have guided me in a meaningful way in my career. An example that continues to stand out is when a mentor helped me during a time of high stress. When I faced numerous deliverables at the same time, she taught me to categorize them into two buckets: glass and rubber. Then let the rubber go—it will bounce and not break. Focus on the glass and pick up the rubber later!
What is the most critical piece of advice you would give to women beginning their careers in this industry?
I continue to learn and be reminded that humans are emotional beings, and this will absolutely show up at work. Knowing this, I try to live by the following principles and would share this with anyone just beginning their career: 1) don’t assume ill intent and take time to truly listen to other perspectives; 2) trust yourself and promote yourself; 3) build a strong network with people from all walks of life; and 4) set boundaries that create health and stability.
Industry Partner Impact Award
Miriam Moore, Division President of Default Services, ServiceLink
What are your proudest career achievements thus far?
One of my proudest career achievements was co-founding the Women Executives in Business (WEB). WEB is a network dedicated to supporting women executives in the Servicing industry, creating mentorship and networking opportunities. What I love most is that it’s not just a group of women coming together periodically. It’s really a movement. Over the years, we’ve grown from small gatherings at industry events to dynamic, impactful weekend retreats where women are encouraged, challenged, and supported. Through these events and our time together, I’ve had the privilege of watching WEB attendees advance in their careers and reach new levels of leadership in their respective organizations. It’s gratifying to know that I’ve contributed to building a platform for women to grow and build authentic connections in what has historically been a male-dominated industry.
Are there any women who have served as career mentors for you, and what did you learn from them?
Although the industry is slowly changing, when I was coming up through the ranks, there unfortunately weren’t very many strong women professionals to mentor me. I was often the only woman in a room full of male executives. I learned a lot from that season in my life, and I recognized there was such a need for more female mentorship in the industry, which is why I co-founded WEB. I wanted to create that space for other women to learn, grow, and connect. That said, the most impactful mentor in my life as I grew my career was my mother. She set the example of someone strong, confident, and assertive. She was a Cuban immigrant, and she taught me the value of a strong work ethic, which, together with her other traits, helped to shape me to be the woman and professional that I am today.
What is the most critical piece of advice you would give to women beginning their careers in this industry?
I think it’s important for women early in their careers to realize that only focusing on their work to demonstrate their worth is not enough. They need to devote time to building relationships with both men and women to be successful. Industry events, like The Five Star, are a great opportunity to do that. Making connections and building their network is a key skill for women looking to excel and seize new opportunities. I’d also share with them the importance of remaining teachable and eager to learn. The servicing industry is complex, yet rewarding, so positioning themselves to connect with other leaders and glean from their experience is a must.
Laurie A. Maggiano Legacy Award
Jennifer Stockett, Senior Advisor, External Affairs, Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
What are your proudest career achievements thus far?
I’d have to go back to the 1980s when I was the only woman at Bear Stearns trading on Wall Street. I learned a lot. I felt accepted, to a point. That was a very important part of starting my career in the financial industry, and it helped open lots of doors when I decided to leave New York.
The other proudest career achievement was working for the federal government on the HAMP program. It was something that helped me understand really what homeownership was all about and what losing that might mean. In Southern California, I went to all the events. All the servicers were in these huge convention rooms, trying to help people who would come in with boxes of paperwork. The team, the GSEs, and the servicers were helping us together, and it really made a huge difference in keeping the economy on track.
Are there any women who have served as career mentors for you, and what did you learn from them?
When I worked at the FDIC, I was there to help manage the closing of banks and the assets that we took over. Every week, I had to report to the board, and Sheila Bair was the chairman at the time, and they made me sit right across from her. So here I am, new to the job, but getting my feet wet. And Sheila comes across the table, slams her hand down, and says, “Jennifer, this number doesn’t make sense.” And the number she was referring to, I got from Legal. But I told her, “I’ll have an answer for you first thing in the morning.”
And we got it all straightened out, but what it taught me was how she expected people to give her information. Because she was on the line every day. She had to be out there speaking with reporters, and she needed answers quickly. I didn’t have the right answer for her, and she laid me out. But I learned something from that. I needed to be better prepared. I needed to know that the Legal team was giving me the right information. So, Sheila Bair may not have known she was mentoring people, but we sure did learn fast.
The other one is someone from Fannie Mae, Jeff Hayward. He retired not too long ago, but he recruited me. I was Chief of Staff for the Vice Chairman, and he recruited me to help with some projects that were to help low-income families get mortgages. We were having our performance review, and he said, “I have some advice for you. You need to learn how to turn the other cheek.” That was really helpful for me because I was leading teams, and I needed to do more listening to people, to have them more involved, instead of just taking it up to leadership. So, I learned a lot from him.
What is the most critical piece of advice you would give to women beginning their careers in this industry?
Especially in today’s world, it’s getting a work-life balance. Women and men are juggling the same things. When I was working, it was mostly the women who took care of the family, but even sharing with your partner or spouse or significant other, balancing that and not putting 100% of yourself into your career. Mental and physical health are important, and that’s the work-life balance.
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